Spring-motor



(No Mod'eL) 1 "2 sheet -sheet 1, J. J. PAULKNER. SPRING MQTOR,

No. 488,192. Patented DemZO, 1892'.

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- J. J. PAULKNER.

SPRING MOTOR.

No. 488,192. Patented Dec. 20, 1892.

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UNrTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. FAULKNER, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SPRING-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,192, dated December 20, 1892.

Application filed March 19, 1892. Serial No. 425, (N model-l To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES J. FAULKNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to compound spring motors, and consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to produce a motor which shall be compact, can be made of such size and power as to render it useful in many places where other motors cannot with propriety be employed, such as sick, sleeping, or dining rooms, when it is arranged to rotate fans, as it is portable and noiseless in its operation. It may also be used to operate sewing-machine, churns, cradles, bicycles, and other kindred machines for the same reason.

The essential feature of myinvention is the compound spring which will be fully described hereinafter in its construction, adjustment, and operation.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this application, and forming a part of it, in which like letters and numerals indicate the same, or corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device, when employed to rotate a fan. Fig. 2 is a view looking from below, showing more particularly the locking mechanism. The casing is partly broken away to show the arrangement of my compound spring on the driving shaft. Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line w a: of Fig. 1, showing the means I employ to transmit the power derived from the compound spring. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the manner of combining the several springs to form the compound spring. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view, showing the construction of my compound spring.

In the drawings,A is the cylindrical casing containing my compound spring, said casing being made of vulcanized paper or other suitable material, to which are seen red by the screws a the heads A and A B is a winding shaft, having abearing in the step 1 in the head A of the casing A, its other bearing being in the head A, and being provided with the crank b. Mounted upon the winding shaft B, and situated between the crank 19 and the head A is the ratchet wheel 2, which is engaged by the pawl 3, secured to the outer surface of the head A by the screw 3'. The pawl 3 prevents the springs from unwinding by holding the shaft B in the position to which it has been turned.

Mounted on the end of the driving shaft B farthest from the crank 19 is the drive wheel 0. This wheel is provided with a center a, loosely fitting on the shaft B, from which center project radial arms. The outer surface of the wheel 0 is provided with teeth 0, which mesh with corresponding teeth on the wheel d, forming a beveled gearing. The wheel at is mounted on a shaft D, which projects from the casing A, and transmits the power from the compound springs. The portion of this shaft which projects from the casingA is flattened on two parallel planes, so that, when desired, the locking catch E, secured to the cylinder. A by the screw e, can be pushed forward into engagement with the parallel sides of the shaft D, and can prevent the same from rotating.

F represents my compound spring. The manner in which it is constructed and arranged is as follows: The spiders 4 are arranged at suitable intervals on the winding shaft B. These spiders are shown in elevation in Fig. 4. Each spider has a center, loosely fitting on the winding shaft B, and a number of radial arms, 4', projecting therefrom, their outer extremities 5 being bent downward at right angles to the main arm, so as to form points for fastening the springs G, and also to act as guides for said springs. Each spider is provided with a projecting hub 63, having a slot 6 in it, which hubs serve to keep the spiders at a proper distance from each other, so that there may be room for the free action of the separate parts of my compound spring F. The slot 6 is utilized as a fastening for the inner end of each of the springs G, as will be fully shown hereinafter. The spider nearest the crank shaft 1) is fastened to the winding shaft B in any suitable manner, so as to rotate with it. The spider farthest from the crank b, is provided with depending lugs, 7, which engage with the radial arms of the drive wheel 0, and impart to the same the rotation caused bytheaction of the spring. This spider is also provided with a double hub 8, the part of the hub that projects forward aiding to separate the last spider from the drive wheel 0. On the winding shaft B next to the last spider, and between the same and the drive wheel 0, is the sleeve 9, firmly secured to the winding shaft in any suitable manner, which serves to keep the separate parts of my compound spring in position in the course of assembling.

The springs G- of my compound spring are secured to the spiders 4 as follows: The outer end ofthe first spring is fastened to one of the arms of the spider nearest the crank shaft b, the inner end of the same being fastened. tothe slot in the hub of the next spider. The outer end of the second spring is likewise attached to an arm of the second spider, and the inner end of the same to the slot in the hub of the third spider. This form of'connection is continued as many times as there are springs, the inner endof the last spring being attached to the-slot in the hub-of the last spider. It should be remembered for the proper-understanding of my compound springthat the hub of the first spider is firmly attached to the-driving shaft, and that the' other end of said compound spring is either 1 held by means of the locking catch E, or, if thewinding takes place when the spring is operating, asin driving the flutter fans 0 O inFig. 1, that such load acts as adrag on that s end of the spring, the operation in suchcase being analogous to winding up a clock while the same is running.

The operation of my compound spring in winding is as follows. Let us suppose that the springs are entirely relaxed. When the crank b is turned, the tension first begins to act on the spring nearest the crank. This spring partially winds up by itself, owing to the fact .that some force is required to overcome the friction in the relaxed coils of the second spring. When, however, sufficient force has been exerted in the first spring to turn the hub of the second spider, to which the inner end-of the first spring is attached, the hub of the second spider will commence to rotate.

After the second spring has been wound to a proper degree, it will begin to turn the hub of the third spider, and the third spring will commence to wind up, and so on. This action can be traced as far as desired. At last there arrives a point when all the springs in my spring system are in the process of winding, and finally wound up. The number of springs on the winding crank depends on the springs used, and the degree to which they are relaxed.

My spring motor, after having been wound up to the desired strength, may be put in operation in driving a fan, as shown in Fig. 1, where the upright arm K is attached to the ring H, forming the outer extremity of the shaft D, and being divided at its lower end to form two oppositely projecting arms L and L, which bear on their outer arms, firmly secured thereto rods M M, which on their outer ends bear the flutter fans 0 O. Butit is apparent that'this is only one applicationof my compound spring, which as above mentioned may be used for driving sewing-machines, churns, &c. l

The rotative impulse derived from mycom pound spring is proportional as regards power and duration to the number of separate successive springs employed in my spring system.

In Fig. lare shown eyes H H,secured at suitable points on the heads'A and A tjopr0- vide for attaching cords or cables for the purceiling of aroom, or elsewhere.

Having thus fully described my invention, whatlclaim as new is: I f

y In a spring motor, the combination, with a winding shaft, journaled inthe ends of asuitable casing and provided with a crank and locking mechanism at one end, a spider provided with a slotted elongated hub secured to said shaft, anda series ofspide'rs provided with slotted elongated hubs loosely mounted on said shaft, of a series of coil-springs attached to the arms and hubsof thespiders,a

driving wheel mounted on said shaft engaging with projecting lugs on the next adjacent spider and gearing witha pinion mounted on the power shaft, and a locking device for controlling said power shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

' v JAMES J. FAULKNER.

Witnesses:

S. A. CARTER,

ED. KAHN.

pose of suspending the casing A from the 

